Whew. 100 down. 100 to go. It’s been a helluva ride, but we almost there. This is where things get really interesting, as it’s a group where some starters still reside, but is mostly populated with bench players. Do you go with a specialist or someone that contributes across the board? Decisions decisions.

Yes! I’m freaking pumped now. Go do your thing right now! I’m going to finish this post then run like Forrest Gump.

Man, when Dwight first entered the league, I thought he was the NBA’s Atlas, a Greek God that would carry the weight of the league on his massive shoulders. Not only was he strong, but he was super agile. Imagine growing up in Dwight’s body? It’s like playing life on easy mode with all the cheat codes. Anyways, as I mentioned in the Hornets preview, I always felt like basketball was never his passion, though. The game found him because of his physique. With that said, over time, injuries have beset NBA’s Atlas, specifically to the back. The smile isn’t as prominent and the super duper explosiveness has left him. That brought him down to just explosive. Yet, he still managed to end up with 53 double-dubs last season, good for sixth in the league. I still think Cody Zeller is a better fit for the Hornets, but there’s a reason the front office brought in Dwight, for that tough interior presence. As long as he gets the minutes, he’s going to give you a double-dub.

I’ve always drooled at the potential that exists with Harkless. Yes, I draft him all the time in 2K. He’s 6′ 9″ 215 pounds and plays the small forward position. He’s another player that I think can join the 1/1/1 club next year, as he shoots well enough from downtown and has the length and athleticism to get the blocks. He fell 0.1 short in both categories last year. Man, he’s only 23 years old. It wouldn’t surprise me if Harkless breaks out this year and becomes that player that jumps in the rankings. I’d like to see more prowess on the boards and ability to dish out a few more dimes, though. With that said, he finally got minutes last season (29 mpg) after receiving only 18 and 15 the prior two seasons. I’ve convinced myself that I’m going to draft him late in all my leagues. I love talking things out like this.

Brogdon ain’t sexy but he gets the job done. He only started 28 games last season, but when he did, he put up close to 12 ppg, 5 apg, 1 spg, and shot 45% from the field and 39% from three-land. He collected one triple-dub last season. Since he’s 6′ 5″ tall, he can play multiple positions and fits the mold of the Bucks team that has length everywhere and can switch everything on D. He really is the perfect point guard for this team, as he has a high IQ on both offense and defense, can switch on D, and space the floor by knocking down the long-range J. As I’m writing this, I’ve convinced myself yet again to move him up in the rankings. If you care, I had him at 114. Up, up, and away. Where we land nobody knows!!!

I love Favors’ game. He’s thick and strong and can straight bully defenders down in the post. But he also has excellent footwork and moves that give him some finesse. Spin moves, up and unders, drop steps, shoulder shimmies, and step-back baby Js. He’s also amazing in the PnR. A few years ago, it looked like he was destined to be a star. Then, the dreaded injury bug hit and contributed to him missing 20 games in 2015 and 32 games last season. The main injury has been knee related, so that’s super scary for a man his size. That’s the only reason I don’t have him higher.

Adams doesn’t shoot threes and his free throw percentage isn’t great. Whoop-dee-do. That’s every center besides KAT. Adams contributes a little something something in every other category, though. With the additions of Paul George and Patrick Patterson (currently injured), the floor should be well-spaced and the defense should be very good. OKC played at the eighth-fastest pace last season and I don’t see that changing much.

Winslow had his season cut short last year due to a torn rotator cuff injury. All indications are that he is fully recovered and ready to start at small forward for the Heat. The shooting percentages haven’t been great for Winslow so far in his brief NBA career, but the form looks nice, so there’s reason to be optimistic for improvement. He’s not the most explosive player, but he’s well-built and adept in the PnR and finishing around the rim. He also has a pretty nice mid-range J. Before succumbing to injury, he was getting around 34 minutes of run per game. That’s half the battle for fantasy production.

As I wrote in the Hornets preview, MKG is the ultimate 3-and-D player, but without the 3 part.

The form has gotten better since the above whatever you call that. That shows most in the free throw percentage jumping up from 70% to 78%. With that said, he was 1-for-9 on three pointer last season. Outside of that, MKG does rebound and will chip in with an assist here and there with around one steal and one block per game. I do have some concerns that the Hornets will utilize a Kemba/Monk/Batum triumvirate more often, which could ciphon off some minutes for MKG, but for now, I think his defense keeps him on the floor.

At 6′ 4″ 220 pounds, Smart is a freaking tank. His field goal shooting percentage is turrable, but he’s got decent form and his free throw percentage was 81% last season, so there’s hope. Better take him back to the shop and upgrade the guidance chips. Smart played 30 mpg last season and I think he continues to play heavy minutes, even with the Kyrie acquisition. He’s versatile and can play multiple positions and I think the Celtics play a ton of small ball this season with Kyrie, Smart, Brown, and Hayward.

Well, the move from New Orleans to Sacramento was a good one for Vivek’s Steph Curry. The field goal percentage went from 39% to 48%. That would have put him at #39, tied with Bradley Beal, if he qualified. On three-pointers, the percentage went from 37% to 43%, which would have been seventh-best in the NBA. The points, rebounds, and yes, steals all increased. Hield does have a very nice shot and breaks ankles from time to time. With that said, I do have some concerns that he won’t get a full workload. George Hill was brought to town and is expected to play some 2. In addition, Bogdan Bogdanovic could get some run.

Wade ain’t playing 80 games. He ain’t playing 70 games. 60 games? Now you’re talking. Can’t be spending too much time away from the lady. Have you seen how good Gabrielle Union looks at 44? Anyways, even at 35 years of age, Wade can still ball. He may not be as explosive as he once was, but he can still euro-step, fade away, and abuse defenders in the PnR. He still be banging it from time to time as well.

Now, there’s been speculation that the Bulls will buy him out and he will join the Lebrons. Wherever he ends up, I don’t think the stats will be too different.

Y’all know my love for DSJ this season. Wesley is going to be a huge benefactor, as he is going to get so many wide open looks. I’m thinking his shooting percentage goes back to the 44% range with a 39% from three-land mark. Wesley won’t contribute much in blocks but a rebound or two will fall into his lap. Same can be said for steals.

Damn, the Magic have two of the most athletic players in the game with Terrence Ross and Aaron Gordon. As I’m writing this, I have Ross at 116. I just smacked myself in the head. My wife, wondering what the hell I was doing, came over. After she read that I had Ross at 116, she then proceeded to smack me in the head. Ross is going to eat in Orlando. Check depth chart and see Arron Afflalo is behind him. Ross is going to be eating Bellagio buffet style. UPDATE: I just moved Ross up two spots. Two! L.O.L. Where’s my wife? I’m gonna go smack her upside the head. Just kidding internet censors. Just kidding. I love my wife. Just joking internet police. I just can’t put him above Wesley.

I always feel like Bazemore should be better than he is, in both reality and fantasy. He possesses the skills to do it all: shoot, dribble, drive, finish, block, etc. You watch him on tv and you’re like, “wowzers.” Then you click on the box score and you’re like, “meh.” He’s never received more than 28 mpg in any of his five NBA seasons. I see that continuing this season, as the Hawks traded Dwight for Marco Belinelli last year. Belinelli will probably get around 20 mpg, which should cap any upside Bazemore may have had.

So far in his brief two-year NBA career, Richardson has played 52 and 53 games respectively. All indications are that he’s healthy now and ready to go. The starting job should be his, but how many minutes will he get? That’s the question especially since Waiters Island was a popular destination last season. Richardson reminds me of a young Eddie Jones for some reason. Tall, lanky, can shoot the three, play good D, dunk, block, etc. I think he is also a candidate to join the 1/1/1 club next season.

The people have been clammoring for Ingles. Where is Ingles? Where is Ingles? The chants have my speakers on the verge of blowing out. That’s impressive work from all two of you. I’ll admit, I had Ingles way down. In fact, I hadn’t even put him on the spread sheet yet. But, alas, here we are. Ingles should fill the void of Gordon Hayward’s spot at small forward. He played 24 mpg last season and I could definitely see him getting an extra four minutes with Joe Johnson going from around 24 mpg to 20. He won’t contribute anything in the block department, but he’s a team player everywhere else. Y’all happy now? I actually had him at like 108 earlier. No way he belongs up there.

It’s insane to think about it, but AI2 was playing 40 mpg and averaging close to 20 ppg 10 years ago. Now, he’s a bit player. Granted, on one of the greatest teams ever, but still. How many players in the history of the NBA have made that transition while in their prime? So much respect for AI2. Anyways, you know what you are getting here. 26 mpg, 7 ppg, 4 rpg, 3 apg, and 1 steal. That’s been the program for the last three years. There’s the occassional upside game when everyone sits, but that’s really more for DFS purposes.

Houston so wants to get rid of this contract, but who’s taking it? Until he’s off the Rockets, I’m leaving Mr. Anderson here. He plays 30 mpg, makes over two three-pointers a game, and plays on one of the fastest-paced teams in the league. Oh, and said team just acquired CP3.

Reggie was hurt last year. He opted to have platelet-rich plasma treatment for his knee tendinitis which cost him the first 21 games of the season. He was also shut down for the final nine games. That probably explained the loss of explosiveness. Reggie has also been shipped out of town once. There’s a good possibility that he gets sent out of Detroit…that is if anyone is willing to take him. Reggie has skills. No doubt about that. But the NBA isn’t a game of 21. It’s a team game and his black hole-ness usually doesn’t sit well with his teammates. Plus, he views defense as a time to rest up for offense. As a result, there’s a good chance that Ish Smith gets more time at the point. I’m inclined to put Reggie lower, but he does fill up the stat sheet and that’s all we care about. Just be aware of the risk that he gets phased out at some point.

Plays 30 mpg? Check. Puts up over 12 shots a game? Check. Launches 3s? Check. Shoot well from the line? Check. Scores over 15 ppg? Check. Plays on one of the fastest-paced teams? Check. Gordon’s game ain’t sexy and some say his shot looks ugly, but it don’t matter. He’s in one of the best, if not the best, situation for fantasy production. One of either Harden or CP3 is going to be breaking defenses down while he’s on the court. Pulls out crystal ball from underneath the table. I forsee plenty of open threes in the future for Gordon.

Sweet Lou is a scorer extraordinaire, as he makes some of the most ridiculous shots. I always thought that he could be a starter in the league, but once coaches saw how good he was as a sixth man, he became type-cast into that role. He won’t contribute much in the other categories, but he will hoist up shots and shoot a high percentage from the line. Every night he plays, he has a chance to drop a 50 burger. Now with the Clippers, you know Lou ain’t starting over Austin Rivers.

Rondo is going to the perfect situation down in New Orleans. Not only will he be running the show with Jrue Holiday at shooting guard and Anthony Davis at power forward, but his boo, DeMarcus Cousins will be at center. Surprisingly, the Pelicans played at the ninth-fastest pace last season. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him get a ton of minutes, but I’m going to project him for around 30. Rondo had one triple-dub last season. I’ll take the over on that number for 2017.

I’m going to call Darren Collison the Hooters of fantasy basketball. You know what you’re getting when you go to a Hooters. The waitresses will be decent looking with skimpy outfits, the food will fill you up without upsetting the stomach, and there will be games on the tv. You’ll never have a dream about Hooters, at least you shouldn’t, but it serves its purpose.

Have I ever mentioned that I love the Nuggets O this year? 2017 Fantasy Basketball strategy. Draft all Nuggets. Easy as 1-2-3!!! Ha! If only. Man, Michael Jackson was so talented. It’s too bad many just remember him as a freak and not the musical genius that he was. Anyways, there’s some concern that Barton could get traded, as the Nuggets are deep in the backcourt and he’ll be a free agent after this season. More than likely, if he gets traded, it will be to a place that is not as fantasy friendly. I’m going to project him as if he’s a Nugget.

Slated to start at power forward for the Nets. Woo hoo!!! At 6′ 7″ 220 pounds, he’s undersized for the position, but he battles on the glass and down in the post. He’s super quick so he’s more about getting position and/or beating someone to the spot. He’s not an adept three-point shooter, but his mid-range game is decent and he finishes strong at the rim. Defense is his calling card, as his agility and quick hands helps him rack up steals, but he’s also a clever passer and really helps the Nets offense space well and get wide open looks. I’d love to see RHJ get huge minutes, but no one on the Nets averaged over 30 mpg.

I’m a total homer, so I love the Lakers this year. Purely from a fantasy perspective, though. They are going to have a terrible record, but they are going to push the pace and put up points. And that’s all we care about for fantasy. Ball and KCP have the backcourt positions locked down, but I think JC plays a substantial role. He’ll be the primary scorer for the second unit and has the ability to play some point guard, as he showed well when Luke Walton was experimenting at the end of last season. JC is so freaking athletic that it surprises me that he doesn’t block more shots or rebound more. Anyways, there’s upside here considering the talent and situation.

I totally get it if you want to fade Dirk. He’s 39 years old, has an Achilles issue, and only played 54 games last season. With that said, on a per game basis, he still balled out. Never forget that he led the Mavs to a Finals victory over LeBron, Wade, and Bosh. He can still get his shot off at anytime. The Dirk step back isn’t on the Kareem Sky Hook level, but it’s pretty damn close. He’s still 7′ 0″ so he’s going to grab a few boards. Here’s the thing, though. DSJ. My boo, the future face of the franchise is ready to rock and roll. That’s going to benefit Dirk. How many open 3s is Dirk going to get now? Not one…not two…not three…He is going to allow Dirk to chill out and just be like the old dude at the Y that can still shoot. Kareem played until the age of 41 and was still scoring double digits. Dirk is on schedule.

Dedmon might be my favorite late-round center. He will probably fly under the radar, but could rack up plenty of double-dubs this season. For a 7′ 0″ 245 pound man, Dedmon is super agile and explosive. He’s a very good defender which should solidify the minutes boost that he is expected to receive. He’s been somewhat of a journey man, but he didn’t start playing organized ball until the age of 18. He’s going to board and block, but will he get enough field goal attempts? I do think he gets more than his career high of 3.4 per game.

I love Dario. Not in a sexual way. I just hate his situation for fantasy. The Sixers have too many good players. Who would’ve thunk it? #TTP!!! So, the starting 5 will be Fultz, Redick, Covington, Simmons, and Embiid. As long as Simmons and Embiid are healthy, how many minutes can Saric get a game? Around 25? Possibly less. There will be a few games where he gets tons of run when Simmons or Embiid sit. Plus, there’s the upside if some injuries occur. Please God noooooo! Anyways, he had a usage rate of 24.6% last season. I just don’t see that happening this year.

Most professional athletes have an unbridled confidence that allows them to be the best of the best. It truly is a doggy dog world and if you can’t hack it, c’est la vie. Remember Frederic Weis? For those that don’t, Weis was a 7′ 2″ 260 pound center from France. The Knicks used the 15th overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft to select him. Then this happened….

Weis never played an NBA game. The antithesis of Weis is Dion Waiters. He’s a straight alpha dog and thinks he’s the best. I love and respect him so much for that, even though I chuckle most of the time. Anyways, there’s a reason why he only started 110 out of 289 games prior to last season. He’s good, but he’s not that good. He is best suited to be the lead dog on the second unit. But, as they say, every dog has it’s day, and last season…..

Due to a plethora of injuries to the Heat roster, Waiters started 43 of 46 games and straight balled out. I don’t see a replication of that this season, unless injuries beset the Heat roster again.

Lopez balled out in the first round of the playoffs last year against the Celtics. That performance may get some to overrate him a bit for this year. Yes, the Bulls will be bad and there won’t be many options for production. With that said, what’s the upside? In that playoff series with Boston, he averaged 12.7 ppg, 7.2 rpb, 0.8 apg, 0.5 spg, and 1.0 bpg on 27 minutes. His season averages? 10.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.0 asp, 0.2 spg, and 1.4 bpg in 28 minutes.

The Bucks should change their mascot to an octopus because the length they are going to put on the floor at each position is going to be crazy. There will be no passing lanes with all the tentacles floating around. On offense, the court will now be spaced due to the long-range shooting prowess of the 7′ 1″ Thon, who shot 37% from downtown last season. There’s definitely risk here, as this will only be his second year in the league and Greg Monroe is still on the roster, who provides the team with an inside presence. With that said, I am a believer in Thon and think he soaks up a ton of minutes.

I miss pre-injury Rose. He was so freaking explosive. Like he was the only one on the court that looked like the R2 button was held down the whole time. Now that I think about it, DSJ reminds me of Rose a bit. Please no injuury to DSJ! Please! Anyways, Rose enters an interesting situation in Cleveland. IT2 may miss time with a hip injury, so he could get plenty of run. He’s not a great spot up shooter, so I’m thinking LeBron brought him to town to let him do his thing. He did that with Kyrie. Things definitely get muddled when IT2 returns. Rose could be the main guy on the second unit, which actually may be better for him.

Carroll will be reunited with Coach Kenny Atkinson, who was with him in Atlanta. That’s good. The Nets played at the fastest-pace last season and will probably end up there this season. That’s also good. Unfortunately, Carroll has some injury concerns and a ceiling on the number of minutes he will get. Crabbe will probably soak up most of the minutes at small forward. With that said, Carroll should be the guy behind Crabbe and also has the versatility to play some power forward, so he may get a few more minutes there. The situation is so ripe in Brooklyn, that there is upside. A common theme in this post will be “not sexy, but useful.”

Pau’s a Spur, so you know he’s missing games. He’s also 37 years old. You know what, though? David Lee? Gone. Dewayne Dedmon? Gone. Joel Anthony? Gone. In? Joffrey Lauvergne. Exactly. I can see Gasol’s minutes tick up a bit, but it looks like the Spurs may be going more small-ball next season with LMA at center with Rudy Gay at power forward or they could go uber-small with Kawhi at the power forward and Gay at center? We shall see.

I should probably put Collins lower, but I just can’t. Outside of Ball and DSJ, there is no one I am more excited to watch play and develop. He’s 6′ 10″ 235 pounds and only 19 years old. With that said, he jumps out of the building, finishes strong, moves well laterally, and has a very good mid-range J. Currently Ersan Ilyasova, who is a decent player, is ahead of him on the depth chart, so it may take some time for Collins to truly become fantasy relevant. Once the Hawks make the move, though, fantasy goodies will fall like manna from the heavens. He is that good.

Monroe did not start a game last season and only averaged around 22 minutes per game. And the Bucks have been actively shopping the center on the trade market. While Monroe does provide the Bucks with a physical inside presence, the future is Thon Maker and the transition begins in earnest this season. Let’s cut to Monroe highlights:

Bojan should win the starting small forward position for the Pacers. He’s a three-point specialist who won’t contribute in much of anything else. So far in his brief three-year career, he averages around nine shots per game, four threes, and 12 points per game. You can expect the same in 2017.

Gay is now a Spur. Very very interesting. He’s behind Kawhi on the depth chart at small forward, but me thinks he plays some power forward as well. Could Pop also put Gay at the 5 with Kawhi at the 4? Hmmmm. Now, Gay is going to miss games because that’s what the Spurs do and that’s what Gay does….allegedly. Gay is super skilled, but he’s 30 years old and he’s usually been the primary option on offense. How will he translate to a secondary role? In Pop We Trust.

TJ balled out last season, but don’t get gassed. Much of it was due to the plethora of injuries the Heat suffered. With a healthy roster entering the year, TJs usage and production should come back down to his 2015 numbers.

Man, what could have been for Tyreke. They say it’s a thin line between love and hate. I say it’s a thin line between good and great. Tyreke was so much fun to watch when he came into the league. He had a nasty euro step. It was hilarious because his J wasn’t that great, so defenders would lay off of him a bit. Didn’t matter. He would still drive past them with crossovers and a killer spin move. At 6′ 6″ 220 pounds, once he was in the paint it was game over. Anyways, injuries have taken their toll on Tyreke and he’s been a 20 mpg player the last three years. It’s almost guaranteed that he missees a handful of games, as he’s played in just 80 games the last three seasons. He has developed a J and even shot 43% from three-land after shooting 25% as a rookie. He’s in Memphis on a one-year prove it deal, but I just don’t see how he has a Waiters-esque renaissance. Let’s just reminisce for a bit:

Tony Parker is out until January, at the earliest. While Dejounte Murray could start for the Spurs, as Pop likes Mills running the second unit, I think Mills receives a bigger portion of the minutes pie, at least in the early going. It’s usually prudent to follow the money and the Spurs just re-signed Mills to a four-year, $49.7 million contract. The big question mark is what happens when Parker returns to the fold.

Fox will not play much in the beginning, but as the season progresses, he will get fed more and more. He won’t contribute in 3s, but his speed is going to play in the NBA, which will create plenty of assist opportunites and cheapies from the mid-range. He may have an inconsistent J, but the form looks good and I’ve seen him drill them, so I’m bullish on the long-term prospects.

Jameer could start for the Nuggets. I don’t think he does, but even if he does, it’s Jamal Murray time in Denver and I think he soaks up most of the minutes. With that said, Jameer should still get around 20 minutes of run. Have I mentioned before that I LOVE THE NUGGETS O?!

You know Austin is going to get minutes. Thanks dad. With that said, I think his minutes do come down from the 28 he received last season. Low-20s seems more likely. Austin is a gunner. Considering he’s the son of a coach, you’d think that his free throw shooting and assist numbers would be better. It pains me to harken back to this quote but it explains a lot. Back in April of 2016, Austin explained his relationship with his father. “He and I don’t know each other like that. We know each other as strictly basketball. A lot of people on the outside don’t understand that because people think we have a relationship like every other father and son. We just don’t. That’s because he’s been gone my whole life, and that’s fine.” As a father of two, that breaks my heart.

The Blazers have a loaded front court, but Aminu should get some minutes. He’s versatile defensively and can stretch the floor on offense. He’s mostly meh, but has the potential to explode offensively from time to time. Playing in a loaded Blazers offense definitely helps.

A 7′ 0″ 242 pound man that averaged 4.5 rebounds a game in 26 minutes? What kind of world do we live in? Frank’s a shooter. Pure and simple. He’s like one of those midieval siege towers.

Son’s projection:

FG%

FT%

3P

PTS

TRB

AST

STL

BLK

TOV

MP

.400

.745

1.5

11.0

4.5

2.0

0.5

0.5

1.0

26

149) P. J. Tucker

I really like what Houston did in the offseason. We all know about the CP3 acquisition, but getting Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute are two underrated moves. They both give the team a defensive presence without sacrificing outside shooting on offense. They are both versatile which should give D’Antoni more options to tinker with different lineup combinations. Tucker ain’t sexy, but will contribute in everything except blocks. There’s a little upside considering the pace that the Rockets play at.

I’m pretty sure I’m going to be higher on Nance than most people. One of the main reasons is because I think Nance plays a lot of 5 this season. Walton did experiment with Nance at the 5 plenty last season. I like Zubac, but he just doesn’t fit the style of ball that the Lakers want to play, which is run and gun. Nance will also play some 4, so I do think he gets more than the 23 mpg he got last season. Plus, what better way to end the Top 150 than with this:

With the projection you have for brogdon he is closer to 80 rather than 103(i have him at 72 but i admit i love his game and i’m slightly biased).The same can be said for dedmon(closer to 75) and nance(closer to 90).Just my quick thoughts after the first read,thanks for the time you put in for the projections!!

@Kostas: Appreciate the feedback. Yeah, I could definitely rank those guys higher. Sometimes my projections and rankings don’t necessarily coincide. I don’t they always have to. What are your thoughts?

@Son: It’s OK of course,I mean you take into account injury risk,breakout potential and personal preference…They are your projections after all…I just commented on the players that had the most difference in ranking between your and my projections, purely based on their projected stats…

after the news about IT injure will you take him down more? and do you recommend to pass on players like him or Jabari that are going to come back only at ASB or later? and what is the affect of that on the other players on their spot? D.Rose..

@moshe amira: For sure. He’s undraftable for me. I’d be more open to Jabari, but only if you have DL spot. Even then, I’d drop him in a heartbeat if I needed the spot. I think the value of D Rose rockets up. He’s going to get minutes and usage.

Lot of different paths you can go. While it’d be tempting to grab CP3 and corner the assists market, I think you need to come out of there with a big man. You know I’m a Jokic guy so….Wouldn’t hate on you if you went Cousins or Gobert. I have them ranked back-to-back-to-back, so it comes down to preference